20: The Origins of Halloween

Before the costumes, the candy, and the porch lights, there was a fire burning on the hills of ancient Ireland. It was called Samhain — the night when the veil between the living and the dead grew thin. In this Halloween special, we travel back through time to uncover how a pagan festival of harvest and remembrance became the night we now know as Halloween — from the fires of the Celts to the prayers of medieval England, the tricks of Stingy Jack, and the playful magic of the Witching Night.

Hear the echoes of history in every flickering jack-o’-lantern, every mask, and every whispered story shared by candlelight. Because on this night, even now, the veil grows thin.

Sources & References

Celtic & Samhain History

• Hutton, Ronald. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford University Press, 1996.
• Danaher, Kevin. The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs. Mercier Press, 1972.
• O’Cathasaigh, T. Samhain and the Celtic New Year. Celtic Studies Journal, Vol. 12, 1985.
• National Museum of Ireland – “Samhain: The Celtic Origins of Halloween.” museum.ie

Christian Adaptation & All Hallows’ Eve

• Pope Boniface IV and the Dedication of the Pantheon (609 CE) – Vatican Archives / Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Pope Gregory III establishes All Saints’ Day, 8th Century Papal Records.
• Cleene, M. & Lejeune, M. Compendium of Symbolic and Ritual Plants in Europe. Man & Culture Press, 2002.
• The Catholic Sourcebook: All Hallows’ Eve and the Communion of Saints, Catholic Education Resource Center, 2018.

Stingy Jack & the Jack-O’-Lantern Legend

• Irish Folklore Commission Archives, University College Dublin.
• The Dullahan and Jack of the Lantern, Irish Myths and Legends Series, Folklore Society of Ireland, 1898.
• GhostCityTours – “The Legend of Stingy Jack.” ghostcitytours.com

The Witching Night – Halloween Games & Customs

• Napier, James. Folk Lore: Or, Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland. Paisley Press, 1879.
• Chambers, Robert. The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities. W. & R. Chambers, 1864.
• Simpson, Jacqueline & Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000.

Modern Traditions & Folklore Today

• Bannatyne, Lesley Pratt. Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History. Pelican Publishing, 1998.
• Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. Oxford University Press, 2002.
• Smithsonian Magazine – “How Halloween Evolved from Ancient Samhain to Trick-or-Treat.” (2019).
• CBC Archives – “The Celtic Roots of Halloween in Canada.” (2021).

Storytelling & Original Script

• Original narrative adaptation by Shauna for Let’s Talk Spooky, 2025.
• Inspired by oral tradition and folklore recordings from the 18th–20th centuries.

Credits & Socials

Written and narrated by Shauna Produced by Let’s Talk Spooky Editing, sound design, and original script by Shauna

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Stay spooky 👻